Liverpool FC is experiencing a complicated start to the season and loses many points early on in the competition for the Premier League title. After an intoxicating record win, you think you are on the right track, but then you have to tremble for a long time. Above all, Jürgen Klopp is relieved.
At the weekend, Liverpool FC was still in a ninety-minute frenzy, now it took a whopping 98 minutes until coach Jürgen Klopp's team was finally able to break free from the full tension: After the 9-0 win over AFC Bournemouth, which the fans in Klopp's eyes had brought many "wonderful goals" and the club a Premier League record victory, Liverpool was now superior again in the 2-1 win against Newcastle United, but had to worry about the second win of the season forever and deep into the long stoppage time.
Former Dortmund player Alexander Isak gave the visitors the lead just before half-time - and Klopp was unhappy, and not just because of the score. "Obviously a 1-0 deficit isn't cool, but that was the least of my problems at half-time," said the 2020 world coach looked desperate, it doesn't have to be. We forced it too early, we played too many long balls with no real idea behind it."
After the break, Liverpool had to digest the next shock, but Isak's supposed second goal did not count because of an offside. Then the Klopp team, which had just shaken off a complicated start to the season with two draws and one defeat with the thrashing victory in Bournemouth, took command more consistently. The result: The equalizer by former Hoffenheim Roberto Firmino (61st). Liverpool then ran up, but not only because of several missed chances did Klopp not really happy for a long, long time: "So we scored the equalizer and then it was just a difficult game because we didn't play much. The flow of the game just became constant interrupted for some reason and it doesn't give you momentum. There wasn't a chance to gain any kind of momentum."
A standard situation had to be set to reconcile Klopp with what he saw as a complicated evening: In the 98th minute, the runners-up earned a very last corner, Salah missed his shot on target, but substitute Fabio Carvalho brought the ball in from close range still over the line. "In the end I was really happy when we got this last corner in the 98th minute," Klopp breathed a sigh of relief - and described what the goal triggered in addition to two points gained: "An enormous increase, from one in many moments rather frustrating night into one of the best nights we've ever had. That's football."
Liverpool are now fifth in the table with eight points and take on Saturday's derby at Everton. A complicated task, Klopp knows that too: "The last two games, six points, a decent result, that's all positive. But everyone saw it tonight: we have to improve. The next game won't be like that, Everton opens all the gates for us and says, okay, you want to go here or there.
